The Fall Festival
by Andraa
Summary: What will happen when Gabriella decides NOT to go with Troy to the Fall Festival? TROYELLA This was my very first FF, so please don't be to harsh :
1. Chapter 1

The Fall Festival

By: Alexandria (Andraa) T.

Characters

Sharpay Evans- StealTheShow

Gabriella Montez- Gabi101

Troy Bolton- BballT

Chad Danforth- Chad

Taylor McKessie- SmartGurl55

Zeke Baylor- ((Doesn't haveWIM))

**I. Gabriella**

"Hey Gabi!" Troy called from down the hall. It was around 2:45 and the final bell was about to ring. "Oh, hey Troy..." She said, quickly opening her locker and flipping over the framed picture she had of them dancing at the Wildcats Pep Rally last year. "Um…I was wondering if you'd like to go to the Fall Festival with me. You know, the one hosted by the school?" Gabriella pulled out her red and white backpack with the words GO WILDCATS on the front and began stuffing her books in. "I don't know Troy," she said slowly. "I don't want to be anything more than friends." She looked down at her scuffed navy Keds and began kicking the ground with one. "I know that…." Troy said, trying to hide his disappointment. "We can just go as….friends". She looked up at his amazing blue eyes and stuttered "I'm going with someone else". With that, Gabriella picked up her book bag and quickly walked around the corner and out of the main doors.

Usually, Troy would walk Gabriella home, seeing as they lived a block away from each other, but today, Gabriella shuffled down the empty sidewalks of Albuquerque alone. When she reached her house she ran directly up the stairs and into her room. Throwing her book bag down onto the shaggy blue rug, she sat down at her desk and turned on her iMac. "WIM is ON" her computer said in the uniform voice programmed into its hardware. Gabriella signed onto Worldwide Instant Messager and saw that Chad was on.

**Gabi101:** Heyy Chad

**Chad:** Wassup?

**Gabi101:** y dusnt Troy no?

**Chad:** b-cause………..

**Gabi101:** YES?

**Chad:** Aint wanna harsh his mellow

**Gabi101**: Well now we can't tell him. If he asks, you know nuttin!

**Chad:** Word

**Chad Has Logged Off**

Gabriella put up her away message and began watching TV. Her school, East High, had a new Public Access Television show on the air called "Wildcat Word". She turned to PAT and started watching. "Hello, Im your host, Felicia Gladsburg, Head Cheerleader of the East High Cheer squad and daughter of Mac Gladsburg, Mayor of Albuquerque" she watched as Felicia gave her widest, laser whitened smile. "And Im also your host, Troy Bolton, Captain of the East High Wildcats" he held up the logo on his shirt which read: GET CHA HEAD IN THE GAME. "UGH!" Gabi said as she saw him give an adorable smile to the camera. "First, in gossip news," Felicia began, leaning over her desk and into the camera for added effect, "A certain dog-named person who rhymes with Marmay has been eyeing a certain Chad in Science class, while this very Chad has been spotted cuddling with a science geek named Taylor. What will happen to the love triangle? Well we'll just have to wait and see" Felicia flipped her long blonde hair over one shoulder and sat back down in her seat. "In other news," Troy said, rolling his eyes at Felicia, "The annual Fall Festival is coming up, and every girl in the school is just pining at the chance for their special someone to ask thBoys, a word of advice, hurry before it's too late." Troy's eyes turned a lighter blue and he looked somewhat upset. "Now, let's go to Ms. Darbus with the news in the drama club" After 15 minutes of rambling on about how the latest musical "Tinsel Towne" was about to end, they cut her off and quickly switched to a commercial.

Gabriella had just begun to close her eyes, trying to gather up her thoughts about that day when she heard the familiar PING of a new IM. She sat down in her cushiony blue swivel chair and looked at the screen.

**SmartGurl55:** Hola chica. Are you watching Wildcat Word?

**Gabi101:** mmmmmmmmHmmmmmmm

**SmartGurl55:** Did u hear wat Felicia said 'bout Chad and me?!

**Gabi101: **Chad and _**I**_

**SmartGurl55:** I dunt care 'bout grammar rite now gurl!

**Gabi101:** LOL

**SmartGurl55:** Now everyone knows about……….us

**Gabi101:** Well, good thing ur goin with ur family 2 Australia. Me and Chad r gonna go and ur cova wont B blown!

**SmartGurl55:** Okay, but hands OFF. If ya come 2 close 2 him, ur toast!

**Gabi101: **lol, np

**SmartGurl55:** g2g, Wildcat Word is bac on. Holla!

**Gabi101:** byes…

**SmartGurl55 Is Away.**

Gabriella turned her chair towards the TV so she could watch the end of Wildcat Word. "Hello, and welcome back to Wildcat Word" Felicia said in a sing-songy voice. "Lets go to Troy for sports". "Thanks Felicia" Troy replied. The camera turned onto Troy, who was standing on a wooden platform that was supposed to look like a basketball court and was holding a red and white WILDCATS basketball. "The East High Wildcats went up against the East Northumberland High Thumpers last Saturday, beating the baby bunnies 28 to 15. Chad Danforth scored the winning 3 pointer. Props man!" Troy gave the camera a peace sign. "Well, that's all for sports!" Felicia said. She was standing next to Troy and had just pulled the ball from his hands. "Tomorrows lunch will be Pizza a la Ms. Peon, who today turns 87! That's all folks, see you next time on….." Fake drum rolls screeched from the Wildcat Word soundboard. "WILDCAT WORD!" they said in unison.

Gabriella heard the front door slam and quickly shut off her TV. "Honey!" Mrs. Montez called from the bottom of the stairs. Gabriella pulled out her Science book and pretended like she was studying. "Oh, sorry…I didn't realize you were studying." She kissed Gabriella on the forehead. "I'm about to start dinner" Gabriella pulled her shoulder length brown hair out of the loose ponytail it had been in all day. "Okay mom". Mrs. Montez kissed her again and then walked out, shutting the door behind her. Gabriella quickly shut her book and returned to watching some QVC TV shopping show.

**StealTheShow Has Logged On**

**Gabi101:** Heyy

**StealTheShow:** What?

**Gabi101:**  Did u c wat Felicia said 'bout u?

**StealTheShow:** Yea, now go away. I'm waitin 4 Troy 2 b online

**Gabi101:** y?

**StealTheShow:** I'm askin him 2 da Fall Festival…..DUH!

**Gabi101:** O….

**StealTheShow:** It's not lyke ur goin wit him, so stop actin sooooooooooooooooo upse

**BballT Has Logged On**

**StealTheShow:** Now's mi chance, L8ter

**Gabi101:** Fine, bye…

Gabriella grabbed her pink diary and opened it to a fresh page. 

_Dear Diary,_

_I think I've done something terribly wrong. Taylor is going to Australia on Friday and she asked me to go with her boyfriend, Chad, to the Fall Festival. The only problem is, a day after I accepted her offer, Troy asked me to go with __**HIM**__, and you know how much I like Troy, right? So now, Troy is all sad and I don't know what to do! Chad didn't tell him, because he said that he saw how happy Troy was when he was about to ask me, so now we can't tell him. Oh……………I know I should diary, but……I told him I wanted to be nothing more than friends and Sharpay said she is about to ask him to the Festival! I really like him diary, but if he ever knew that, I don't know if I would even have the courage to __**TRY**__ and kiss him. Thanks for listening, Diary._

_Love Always,_

_**Gabriella Montez**_


	2. Chapter 2

**II. Sharpay and Ryan**

Sharpay rolled her eyes at Gabriella's snide remark and began to IM Troy. _Here's my chance! _

**StealTheShow:** Hey Troy! 

**BballT:** Hey Sharpay

**StealTheShow:** Ru goin 2 da Fall Festival

**BballT:** idk….y?

**StealTheShow:** Wanna go wit moi?

**BballT:** R'nt boyz supposed 2 ask gurls? 

**StealTheShow:** Fine, den ask…..

**BballT:** Pick u up at 7 den?

**StealTheShow:** It's a date! L8ter

**StealTheShow Has Logged Off**

"YES!" Sharpay shouted into the air. She ran downstairs into the lounge and sat next to her brother Ryan, who had been grounded from the Fall Festival because he stole Sharpay's lip shimmer. "Hello Ryan!" she said in a mockingly sweet voice. "_What?_" he asked sharply. "Guess who I am going to the Fall Festival with?" she batted her eyes. "Who?" he asked in a bored voice. "TROY BOLTON!" she screamed. "UGH!" Ryan groaned as he covered his ears. "Nightie night!" Sharpay pushed him and then walked back up the marble staircase and into her bright pink room, slamming the door behind her.


	3. Chapter 3,1

**III. Troy: Part 1**

It was the next day, Friday to be exact, and Troy stood in the center of the hallway, staring at Gabriella's locker. "Hey man…..um, what are you doing?" Chad said as he walked up to him. "N-nothing. Nothing man…." replied Troy, his voice soft."Well then stop staring at her locker!" Chad said as he turned to walk away. "Its just," Troy started. Chad stopped and looked at him. "Just….._what?_" "I always thought she liked me……like we could be more than friends one day. How could she go with someone else to the festival? We were so close to kissing at the pep rally last year! I don't see why she already accepted someone else's invitation!" Troy banged his fist against his locker, trying not to tear up in front of his best friend. "Um……Troy" Chad began. "WHAT?!" Troy shouted as he twisted around to face him. "I h-have to t-t-tell you something….Gabriella is going to the Festival with-"

**RING RING RING!**

"With who?" Troy grabbed Chad by the shoulders. "I-I gotta go, I g-guess I will, um…..tell you at lunch…….bye!" Chad slithered from Troy's grasp and ran down the hallway, towards Spanish class. "UGH!" Troy groaned, picking up his book bag and turned in the opposite direction, heading for art class.

"See you at lunch!" Gabriella shouted to Taylor as she was running backwards. "Bye!" Taylor replied, taking off in the opposite direction. BAM! Gabriella ran straight into Troy. "Um…..sorry" She said, looking down at her books, frantically trying to pick them up. "No, it' totally my fault…….um, let me help you with those" He knelt down with her and began picking up the remaining books. Gabriella stared at Troy. "Troy, I….." she began. "I really…um" "You really _what_?" he asked her, staring back. "N-n-never mind. It doesn't even matter, not anymore anyway" she whispered, taking the books from him and stashing them securely in her bag. "I gotta get to Spanish" Gabriella said, looking around. A minute ago, the hall had been full of students trying desperately to get to their classes on time, now Troy and Gabriella were the only people in the hallway. "Yeah, Mrs. Hadmen will kill me if im late for art again" Troy replied. "Well, um………b-bye then…." Gabriella said as she rushed down the hall. A small pink book fell out of her bag. "Hey!" Troy shouted, "You dropped something!" But by the time he had picked it up, she had already rounded the corner.

It was a small, hardcover journal that read DIARY (which was crossed out). Troy went into the bathroom and made sure no one else was there. He quietly opened the journal and began reading the first page.

_Dear Diary,_

_Today was my first day at this school and I had a __**GREAT**__ time. I found out that Troy Bolton (you know, that AH-DORABLE boy that I met on New Years Eve) goes to my school! He's the star basketball player but he is sooooooooooooooooo out of my league, and plus, I don't want to have to fight off the crazy cheerleaders (and Sharpay) for his attention. Which brings me to person number two: Sharpay Evans. She's a __**REAL**__ pain. All I did was __**LOOK**__ at the stupid sign up form for the school musical and she pushes me aside and writes her name over __**ALL**__ of the sign up lines. It's not like I am gonna do it anyways, I mean __**SERIOUSLY**__, who would want to be in something called Tinsel Towne?_

_Sincerely Yours,_

_**Gabriella Montez**_

_That was the day before we tried out for the musical!_ Troy thought to himself. He hurriedly began flipping through the pages, trying to see if she wrote in it everyday, realizing this was true, an idea came to him. _If she writes in this everyday, then that means she'll probably have written down who she is going to the festival with tomorrow! _Troy's face lit up with excitement. He anxiously turned to the very last page she had written on, which was dated for the day before. Troy's eyes hurriedly scanned the page, looking for the words Fall Festival, date, or Troy. After Troy read it thoroughly, he looked up. _Chad…..why didn't he just tell me? I would've understood…_ Troy's eyes turned a pale blue, he was mad at both Gabriella and Chad. _Why didn't Chad tell me? Why hasn't Gabriella ever told me her true feelings? Why is she scared of kissing me? Why am I so out of her league? _Troy slid Gabi's diary safely into his backpack and slowly walked out of the bathroom and towards art class.


	4. Chapter 3,2

**III. Troy: Part 2**

"Hmph! You're late Mr. Bolton!" Mrs. Hadmen squeaked in her high pitched British accent. "Yeah whatever…….." he mumbled under his breath. "What was that?" she asked him sharply. "Um...I said I'm very sorry and it won't happen again" Troy sat down on a stool in the back next to Zeke. "Hey man" Zeke said as they did a quick hand pound. Troy didn't reply. "Dog…..what's wrong with you? Is your blood sugar low? Do you need a cookie?" Zeke unzipped his bag and pulled out a small bag of mini Snickerdoodles. "Made 'em myself" He grabbed a few and then shook the bag at Troy. Troy took a few and stuffed them in his mouth, chewing quietly so that Mrs.Hadmen couldn't hear him. "Thanks…" he mumbled. "Okay class!" Mrs. Hadmen clapped for their attention. "Today we will be painting portraits! It doesn't have to be of _you _but I want it to be of _someone_, **NOT** an inanimate object. Well, get to work!" She passed around the stack of canvases. "Dude" Zeke said, setting his canvas onto his wooden holder. "I'm gonna paint Sharpay…" He went googally eyed as he laid the paints out on the table. "Who are you going to paint" "Gabriella" Troy said sadly. He dipped his brush into the brown paint and began painting her hair. "Why are you so sad?" Zeke asked him. Troy pulled out her diary and turned it to the page she had written the day before. "Read it" he said, handing him the journal. After reading it a couple of times over, Zeke closed it and handed it back to Troy. "Oh…"


	5. Chapter 4

**IV. The Fall Festival**

"Gabriella!" Mrs. Montez shouted from the bottom of the stairs. "Your date is here!" Gabriella walked down the stairs in a knee length spaghetti strap red dress, bright red lip shimmer, and silver flats. Her hair was down, with a silver ribbon as the headband. "Hi Chad" she said sweetly as she met him at the bottom of the stairs. "Hey Gabi" he replied. Chad was wearing his favorite red and white WILDCATS jersey, a pair of black jeans, and his best white Vans. "Bye mom" Gabriella said, giving her mom a quick kiss on the cheek. "I'll be back around 10" Gabriella stepped out onto the patio and shut the door behind her. Chad and Gabriella began walking towards the school when she saw Troy walking on the opposite side of the street with Sharpay. "Walk faster" she whispered to Chad as she sped up. "Hey, wait!" he broke into a jog to try and catch up with her. "Look!" she said, pointing to the two. They were holding hands and swinging their arms back and forth. Chad turned and looked at Troy, just as Troy looked at them. Gabriella saw him looking and quickly grabbed Chad's hand. "Um….okay…." Chad said, slightly startled.

When they arrived at the Festival, they bought their wrist bracelets (that get them onto the rides) and stood in line for the first ride, the Scrambler. Troy and Sharpay got in line behind them. "Okay, who's next?" the bearded ride operator looked up at Gabriella and Chad. "We are!" Chad said excitedly to the operator. "Okay, let me count you off" he replied. The operator pushed Chad onto the hard metal seat of the ride. "That's one" He pushed Gabriella on, "Two…". He then pushed Troy on "Three…" "Sir? Can me and him," Gabriella pointed at Chad, "be the only two on this cart? He," she pointed at Troy, "can get in the next one…please?" she gave the operator a sweet smile. "Naw! It's three to a seat!" He pulled the cold metal safety rail over them and buckled them in. "Then where am _I _supposed to sit? "Sharpay asked the operator testily. "Next cart" he replied casually. Troy mouthed the word SORRY to Sharpay, who rolled her eyes at him. Gabriella's cart moved and the next cart stopped at the dock. "Get in" the operator said gruffly. "One…" He looked around, waiting for two more people. Zeke stepped into the line and behind him, Felicia Gladsburg. "Two and three" The operator pushed the two into the cart with Sharpay. "Hi Sharpay" Zeke smiled as the safety bar went down and the ride began. "You look….." he looked her up and down, "incredible tonight" Zeke scooted towards her and pulled out two giant Choco Choco Chip cookies from a bag in his pocket. "I made 'em" he said as he put one in his mouth. Sharpay plucked the second one from his hand as if it was disease ridden. "Um…thanks" she rolled her eyes at him and set it down next to her.

Gabriella turned around so she could face Chad. "I really like this ride" she said as it swung them across the apparatus to the other side of the ride. "In my old neighborhood, we had a big thing called The Amazing County Fair, and we had this ride call The Slingshot. It was just like this" Troy rolled his eyes behind her back and looked at his watch as if he was bored. Chad saw Troy and tried to stifle his laughter with his hand. "What are you laughing about?" Gabriella asked him, turning around to face Troy. "He was laughing at me" Troy said matter-of-factly. "Oh really?" she shot Chad a piercing glare. The ride slowed and their cart landed at the dock. "Im hungry Chad lets go eat" Gabriella pulled him off of the ride and stormed over to the food building.

Chad ordered a large meatball sub with extra sauce and he ordered her fries and a shake. "Let's sit over here" she pointed to one of the small metal lunch tables in the corner. Gabriella sat with her back facing the door. Just as they started to eat, Troy and Sharpay came in, ordered their food (Philly cheese steak for Troy and a Diet Dr.Fizz for Sharpay), and sat down next to Chad and Gabriella. "Im having soooooooooooooo much fun Troy" Sharpay said mockingly as she placed her hand on top of Troy's. Troy glanced at Gabriella who looked at the two of them begrudgingly. "Chad," Gabriella said, placing her hand on top of Chad's, "it's such a beautiful night and I am so glad that I came with YOU instead of, I don't know, the star basketball player." Troy raised an eyebrow. "OH NO!" Chad said as he set down his sub. "I just got sauce all over this jersey! I'll be right back" he shot up and ran frantically to the bathroom. Troy knew why Chad did that. He wanted Gabriella and Troy to have some alone time. When Sharpay turned around, Troy knocked her Diet Dr. Fizz over onto her white Capri's. "UGH!" she said, looking down at her pants. "THIS IS THE WORST NIGHT EVER!" She quickly ran into the bathroom. _Well, what am I supposed to do now? _Gabriella thought, staring at Troy. "We need to talk Gabi" Troy said to her. "Well, I'm not talking in front of all these people. Let's….um…." Gabriella stammered. "Let's take a walk" he finished for her.


	6. Chapter 5

**V. The Walk**

Gabriella walked along the path in the school garden with Troy. "Gabriella….." Troy began, "why didn't you tell me about you going with Chad? Under the circumstance, I would've understood". "What circumstance?" Gabriella asked, playing dumb. "Stop lying Gabi. I know about Taylor's trip." He reached into his pocket and pulled out her Diary. "YOU READ MY DIARY?!" she screamed at the top of her lungs, pulling the diary from his hands. "HOW COULD YOU?!" Troy went silent. He never knew she could yell this loud. "I…..I'm really-". "Sorry?" She asked him, her voice lowering to an angry whisper, "Well sorry doesn't cut it. Not anymore, Troy. I thought you were my _friend._" "I _am_ your friend!" Troy responded. "Oh really? Then answer me this. What kind of friend reads their friends PRIVATE diary? What kind of friend pretends to not care, even if they do? What kind of friend tries to make another friend _jealous _by bringing their other friend as a _date_ to the Fall Festival? What kind of friend, Troy…?" Her eyes were watery and her voice was rising. "IM SORRY GABRIELLA! IM _SORRY_ THAT I READ YOUR DIARY! IM _SORRY_ THAT I PRETENDED NOT TO CARE! IM _SORRY_ THAT I TRIED TO MAKE YOU JEALOUS! BUT I WOULD'NT HAVE IF YOU HADN'T BEEN TRYING TO MAKE ME JEALOUS!" Troy tried to catch his breath. "Well you know what I'm sorry for?" Tears ran down her face as she spoke. "I'm sorry that I ever met you Troy Bolton" Gabriella ran further down the path. "WAIT!" Troy called out. "What?" Gabriella said, trying to wipe the tears from her face. Troy ran up to her. "I am sorry for everything that I've done wrong by you. But I am DEFINATLY not sorry for this"

Troy held Gabriella in his arms as he kissed her slowly. It was as if everything stopped, like the whole world was silent. When he let her go, Gabriella pulled away and stared at him. "Troy…….I really, really like you and I don't want to be just friends" Her blank expression turned into a smile as she hugged him tight. "Me neither" he whispered.


End file.
